What do I actually get with this pack?

Firstly the details about each item are given further down the page but in summary you will receive:-

1 digital centigrade thermometer (reads to 2 decimal places) with a 1 year warranty and including the battery (this is a special thermometer that will tell you when you have ovulated).

40 x Highly sensitive 20mIU Ovulation tests

10 x Ultra Early 10mIU Pregnancy tests

A FREE Fertilityplan chart

What is ovulation and the process of conception?
As the saying goes a picture is worth a thousand words so we have included a short video (don’t forget to turn the sound up) which we feel gives an excellent short description of ovulation, including the whole process of conception (fertilization and implantation) from the release of the egg from the ovary right up to the implantation of the fertilized egg at which point pregnancy has occurred, HCG is produced and the embryo starts to grow. If you have problems viewing the video or have a slow internet connection wait until the video is fully buffered before playing the entire video – i.e press pause once the video starts loading and wait until loading is complete before pressing play.

How exactly do you measure a menstrual cycle?
Very simply a menstrual cycle defined as starting on the day of first bleed to the start of your next bleed. So CD12 would be Cycle Day 12 of your cycle and would be 12 days after you first started your period.

What do you mean by a Fertilityplan chart?
Basically if you are trying for a baby then you need to do a few very simple things to try and ensure you get pregnant as soon as possible. The Fertilityplan chart just really summarizes what you notice about your body during your cycle and when these changes are charted and combined with other help such as ovulation tests and temperature changes you can more easily pinpoint when you are ovulating. We will post a chart for free with your order – see below.

Why should I keep a Fertilityplan chart?
There is only a very small window within each cycle when your body releases an egg. This window, which may last only 36 hours, is the only time you can get pregnant during that cycle so knowing how to pinpoint the timing when the egg is released can be very important.

How does a basal digital thermometer help?
Basically there is a slight temperature drop just before ovulation occurs and then a distinct temperature rise of about 0.20 to 0.50 degrees Centigrade after ovulation takes place. By plotting your temperature change during your cycle you will know when you have ovulated.

Why a Centigrade thermometer and why do I need it to be to 2 decimal places?
We supply a Centigrade thermometer rather than a Fahrenheit one because we have found that many women are used to measuring their basal temperature in Centigrade. The reason for 2 decimal places is also to help identify the time of ovulation more easily. Most thermometers measure to just one decimal place, so on a Centigrade thermometer it would read 36.9 or 37.2. However, our thermometer will read 36.87 or 37.24 so it makes spotting the time of ovulation easier, especially if you also use ovulation tests.

But don’t I need to know before I ovulate not after?
Yes, that is why we recommend that this digital basal thermometer is used in conjunction with ovulation tests. Additionally the completion of the Fertilityplan chart will also help identify ovulation timing by noting bodily changes too.

When should I take my temperature?
You should take your temperature, orally under the tongue, every morning before you do anything else – even before you get up!! Just the act of getting up increases body temperature so keep the thermometer right by the bed. You should then write down the temperature recorded. The temperature rise (spike) takes place shortly after ovulation and will stay slightly elevated until you start your next period.

What other bodily changes should I look for to know when I am about to ovulate?
The consistency of cervical mucus changes throughout the menstrual cycle. Usually after you finish your bleed you will have 3/4 days when you have dry days. The wetness then increases daily usually lasting about 9 days at which point the mucus will become plentiful, slippery, clear and stretchy. The best comparison is that it is like egg whites and at this point it is a good sign that ovulation will occur in the next couple of days. After ovulation occurs the mucus will again become more sticky less stretchy and then dryer again.

How do I get this Fertilityplan chart and what does it look like?
We will post a copy to you with your order for free when you purchase this item from us. In addition, you can also download a copy of the chart from here. This will enable you to fill out the chart and save it on your computer every month, or print out additional copies.

When completed it will look something like this for a typical month:-

The black line indicates the normal basal body temperature for a woman before getting up – about 0.4 degrees Centigrade below normal body temperature during the day. The dots represent the daily recorded temperature and you just connect the dots each day with a line to join them. Other information is added such as the results of the ovulation tests, condition of your cervical mucus and days when intercourse took place etc.

Ok, what about the thermometer itself?The thermometer itself is a straightforward Centigrade digital thermometer which can be used under the armpit, orally or rectally. It is self correcting and reads your temperature in under 2 minutes and automatically beeps when you can read the temperature. It also has a memory function, so when you turn on the thermometer the last recorded temperature will be displayed briefly. It comes complete with button cell type battery and we can provide replacement batteries, if required. The battery life is usually 2 years but less if used every day. The unit should be switched off once the reading is taken but will switch off automatically after 10 minutes if no button is pressed. The thermometer is fully CE approved as are all the items we sell.

One Step® Ovulation Tests
A pregnancy begins with conception. A child is conceived when the male sperm successfully fertilises the female egg. Successful fertilisation is most likely during a 24-hour period following the LH surge. Since this window is usually only open once a month and for a short period of time, being able to predict the LH surge is very helpful when trying to become pregnant. We have selected these ovulation tests for their price, accuracy and reliability. These tests look for the presence of LH in urine.

How does a home ovulation test work and what is the LH surge?
When a woman is about to ovulate, her body releases a large amount of a hormone called LH (Luteinising Hormone). LH is always present in your urine but the levels increase (surge) in the middle of your cycle, causing you to release an egg from the ovary. This process is called ovulation. If the LH surge is present, ovulation is likely to occur in the next 12 to 36 hours. Our ovulation tests detect the LH surge by measuring the level of LH in urine.
Once ovulation has taken place the level of Progesterone increases and this causes the basal body temperature to rise.

When should I do the test?
To determine when to begin testing, you need to work out the length of your menstrual cycle. The length of your cycle is from the first day of your period to the last day before your next period starts (count the first day of bleeding as day 1). Calculate what the usual length of your menstrual cycle has been the last few months. Once you have worked out the average length of your cycle you can refer to the chart that is included with our tests which clearly shows on which day of your menstrual cycle you should begin testing.

Why should I avoid testing first thing in the morning?
You should avoid testing your urine first thing in the morning as LH is synthesized in your body early in the morning. It will not show up in your urine until later in the day.

What does the test result look like?

When the LH surge is present the “Test” line (lower of the two lines in the white area) will be almost as dark or darker than the “Control” line (upper line in the white area).

Once I receive a positive result, when is the best time to have intercourse?
Ovulation usually follows the start of the LH surge within 24-36 hours. This is the time when you are at your most fertile, therefore you should have intercourse during this time.

How long will it take before I can read the result?
A positive result can often be read in under 40 seconds but to confirm a negative result (no test line or the test line is much fainter than the control line) you should wait the full 10 minutes.

What happens if after using the tests provided I have still not detected my LH surge?
Most women with regular cycles will detect their LH Surge in 5 days or under. However, if you have irregular cycles you may need to test for longer and may require additional ovulation tests to detect your LH Surge. Also see the section below regarding different sensitivities of our ovulation tests.

I have recently come off the contraceptive pill. Will this affect my result?
As the pill disrupts your natural hormone balance it may take a few months for your periods to return to normal. You may want to wait until you have had 2 normal periods before starting to use ovulation tests. Please be aware that pregnancy and breastfeeding can affect the results of any ovulation test.

Will alcohol or other common medications affect the results of this test?
No, but you should consult your doctor if you are taking any hormonal treatments.

Can I use the ovulation test for contraception?
No, the test is not designed to prevent conception. As sperm can survive for 72 hours you might still become pregnant if you had intercourse before you detected your LH Surge and also because some woman can and do ovulate more than once in the same cycle.

How dark does the test line need to be to show I am ovulating normally and what if I get no lines in the test window?Essentially if you get no lines at all in the test window then you either haven’t ovulated yet or even this test is not sensitive enough to pick up the LH surge. At this Ultra Early sensitivity level if you get no test lines followed by faint lines for a couple of days which then fade back to no lines then that is the perfect indication that you have ovulated normally during those days, especially if 14-16 days after the faint lines you started your period. If, however, you get no lines at all in the test window with this highest sensitivity 20mIU test for 2 months then you should contact us for advice as we may be able to help. The email address is shown below.

I had a positive result for the LH surge and had sexual intercourse during this period so why have I not become pregnant?
There are many factors that can affect your fertility. It can take many healthy couples months to achieve pregnancy. You may need to use these tests for a few months before pregnancy occurs. If after 6 months of trying you have still not become pregnant, you should visit your doctor for advice.

What is the “fertility pill” and how does it affect ovulation tests?
Clomid/Serophene are brand names for a drug known as Clomiphene citrate – commonly referred to as the “fertility pill”. Letrozole is a very similar drug and works in exactly the same way. They are the most popular and most prescribed drugs for women who are not ovulating at all, have PCOS or suffer from irregular periods. They have proved very successful with 60-80% of women ovulating normally when taking the drugs and with 50% of those on these drugs going on to get pregnant. They have few side effects and these are generally minor – your doctor can tell you more.
All these drugs are taken for 5 days (days 3-7 or 5-9 of your cycle) and are essentially a boost to your fertilityhormones including LH. For this reason, if you are on any of these drugs, you should start to use these highest sensitivity (20mIU) ovulation tests 3 days after finishing the drugs i.e. on day 10 or day 12 onwards as before this you could get a false result.

One Step® Pregnancy Tests
Whether you are trying to get pregnant or trying to keep from getting pregnant, you want to know immediately if you are pregnant or not. The pregnancy tests that we offer are fast, accurate, reliable and an easy alternative when you require immediate and discreet results in the privacy of your own home.

How does a pregnancy test work?
A pregnancy test measures the presence of the hormone Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (HCG) in your urine. HCG is produced in the placenta shortly after the embryo attaches to the uterine lining. This hormone then builds up rapidly in your body in the days following successful conception.

When should I do the test?
The test can be taken at any time of the day. However, we do recommend that you test first thing in the morning when your urine is most concentrated. Do not drink large amounts of fluid in an attempt to increase the volume of urine as this may dilute the urine making HCG more difficult to detect.

What does the test result look like?

How long will it take before I can read the result?
You can read the results in under 5 minutes and a positive result can often be seen in under 30 seconds.

What is the difference between home tests and those done by a doctor?
Many doctors and clinics use our pregnancy tests anyway (we supply the whole of the NHS), in which case they are exactly the same. Occasionally, some women may be given a blood test, but they aren’t very different from our pregnancy tests either as both types look for the presence of HCG in your body.

What should I do with my results?
If your pregnancy test results are positive, you should consult your doctor to discuss your pregnancy and what steps and precautions should be taken next. In addition, if your test is negative and you still suspect you may be pregnant, you may want to confirm your test results with another pregnancy test a few days later.

If I see 2 lines but one is fainter than the other is this a positive result?
Yes, if 2 lines appear you are pregnant no matter how faint the lines appear.

Can anything affect the results of these tests?
Drinking alcohol, painkillers, oral contraceptives, antibiotics and other common drugs will not affect the result of these tests. Only medicines that contain HCG can produce a false positive result. If you are unsure about your result or your period has still not arrived you should see your doctor for advice.